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Barry Manilow Headlines Concert for America

Barry Manilow whipped the crowd at New York’s venerable Town Hall into a frenzy on Tuesday night when he crooned a medley of his hits, including “I Write the Songs,” “Looks Like We Made It,” and, of course, “Copacabana.”

The Brooklyn-born singer was part of a star-studded lineup that perfomed in the monthly Concert for America series, which plays across the country and benefits different charities. The brainchild of Broadway maven Seth Rudetsky and his husband, James Wesley, in response to the Trump administration (the first concert was on Inauguration Day), last night’s show benefited the Southern Poverty Law Center, National Immigration Law Center, the Sierra Club Foundation, NAACP, and National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Broadway legend Chita Rivera performed two songs from Kiss of the Spider Woman and even showed off some dance moves—quite impressive for an 84-year-old.

Andy Cohen introduced Vanessa Williams, who looked fabulous in a dress from her Evine line, V., and thrilled the crowd by crooning “Save the Best for Last.” When her old Ugly Betty assistant, Marc St. James (Michael Urie), came out onstage, Williams told the audience that Urie was originally only supposed to be in one episode, but their chemistry was so palpable that he was hired full-time as her long-suffering aide.

Comedian Caroline Rhea auctioned off tickets to see Williams in concert and meet her backstage. They was immediately snapped up by a fan who bid $5,000. “I think that’s a meet-and-greet and some drinks,” quipped Williams when she heard the winning bid.

Also auctioned were a pair of coveted tickets to see Hello, Dolly!, which an audience member won, only to be outbid by Rosie O’Donnell, whom Rudetsky was furiously texting with. The former talk show host graciously donated her tickets to the audience member she had outbid, while her pal Rudetsky noted that “Rosie isn’t working anymore. She’s paying for those tickets from her savings!”